SCA, Inc. Board Announces Further Lifting of In-Person Event Restrictions
Announcement from the Board of Directors, further lifting suspension of in-person activity as of July 1, 2021:
On May 25, 2021, the Board of Directors passed the following:
Resolution to Further Lift Suspension of In-Person Activity in the SCA as of July 1st, 2021
I. Whereas the challenge created by the COVID-19 Global Pandemic demanded heightened safety standards which led to a suspension of in-person activity and a subsequent partial lifting of that suspension in North America by the SCA Board of Directors;
II. Whereas the crisis of the Pandemic is being addressed through a combination of social policy, as well as scientific and medical advancements;
III. Whereas the SCA Board of Directors continues to prioritize the health and well-being of the membership and participants of the SCA; and
IV. Whereas the directed suspension of in-person events in North America expires after May 31st, 2021, and the previous partial lifting of said suspension takes effect on June 1, 2021; now, therefore, be it
V. Resolved, that the SCA Board of Directors further lifts the suspension of in-person activity in North America, effective July 1, 2021 provided adherence to the items in this resolution;
VI. Resolved, that all attendees in North America must follow all province, territory, state, and local health guidelines at SCA events. In addition, at all North American SCA events:
A. Kingdoms may require the use of masks at their events;
B. The SCA may not provide shared drinking containers or any food served in a buffet-style. Attendees who accept shared drinking containers or buffet-style food from other attendees do so at their own risk. Feast will not be allowed at this time; and
C. All events shall require preregistration.
VII. Resolved, that the SCA Board of Directors mandates any Kingdoms who propose any deviation from the above restrictions to request a variance from the Society Seneschal in order to hold the proposed event. The Society Seneschal shall have the authority to grant or deny these requests. These requests will be reviewed by the Board using the same review method used for variances to Corpora;
VIII. Resolved, that enforcement of this resolution will be handled by the Society Seneschal and President of SCA Inc.; and,
IX. Resolved, that the SCA Board of Directors commends the hard-working officers, royalty, membership, and participants who have allowed the SCA to continue to flourish virtually as we lift this suspension and transition forward in a manner consistent with recommended health and safety standards.
The President and the Society Seneschal have been given the responsibility of implementing the resumption of events within the rules above and adjusting the strictures as needed with Board approval.
As per item (C) in the Resolution, SCA, Inc. has available the Event Module for the mandatory pre-registration process. All kingdoms are encouraged to utilize this tool. If you would like to contact the SCA Accounting Specialist, Mazelle Attiya about this available option, she can be reached at Mazelle@sca.org.
Questions or comments should be sent directly to president@sca.org and seneschal@sca.org or your board Ombudsman.
This is the next step toward the resumption of normal in-person SCA events. Working with the corporate officers and with input from the various kingdoms, we will continue to assess the pandemic environment and make changes going forward as needed, either to add further restrictions or relax existing ones as the situation allows.
No matter what safety precautions we put in place, there is no substitute for each individual being educated about the risk to themselves and their loved ones and making responsible choices to protect themselves and others from this virus.
Read This Announcement on the SCA Website
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Medhbh inghean Uí Cheallaigh, OP
she/her/hers
Seneschal, East Kingdom
Kellie Donovan-Condron
Regional VP of Operations, SCA, Inc.
The following cover letter accompanying the announcement above was shared by the Kingdom Seneschal:
May 28, 2021
Greetings to the SCA:
In April of this year, the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. issued a proclamation allowing in-person events to resume in North America as of June 1, 2021, subject to any federal, state, provincial, or local government health restrictions, and subject to restrictions imposed by the Board to try to ensure the safety of our participants, given conditions of the pandemic at the time. It was stated then that these restrictions would be revisited as appropriate.
At their May 25, 2021 conference call meeting, the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. discussed the latest guidance from the CDC, as well as current trends in the United States in particular with regard to the increasing availability of COVID vaccinations and the decreasing incidence of illness and hospitalizations in the United States. The Board then decided to loosen many of the SCA-imposed restrictions effective July 1, 2021. The Resolution released earlier today, spells out the requirements for in-person events going forward from that July 1 date.
The Board further took the following action:
Motion by Dale Fong-Frederick to approve the following language, and require that it appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations, including Troll [Registration], at all events:
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Seconded by Gigi Coulson. Opposed: None. Motion carried.
This language will be required to appear on all event notices, flyers, online announcements, and advertisements, as well as being posted in multiple locations at any and all SCA-sponsored functions going forward.
A few important notes:
- During the month of June, all current restrictions including mask requirements and the 150-person attendance limit remain in effect. The new proclamation does not take effect until July 1.
- As always, any and all federal, state, provincial, and local health rules and restrictions must be followed. If your local government does not allow gatherings above a certain size, or requires masks, those restrictions of course must be enforced.
- Individual kingdoms are always allowed to impose more restrictions than those imposed by the SCA, Inc. No kingdom is required to begin holding in-person events if the Crown and Kingdom Seneschal do not believe it is safe yet; a kingdom may continue to require face coverings, impose size limits on events, or prohibit overnight camping if it wishes. The President, Society Seneschal, and Board will support kingdoms in resuming events in the way that seems safest for them. Please contact the Society Seneschal at seneschal@sca.org and the President at president@sca.org with questions.
- The SCA has always been built on the ideals of chivalry and courtesy. We expect that people will continue to display these values at all times, and respect individuals’ personal choices regarding their own health and safety.
The Society Seneschal and the President will continue to work with Kingdom Seneschals to implement the SCA’s return to live events in a safe and responsible manner. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we move forward.